No. 4 Mater Dei pulls out wild win over No. 7 St. John Bosco

Video: No. 4 Mater Dei vs. No. 7 St. John Bosco
View images by photographer Heston Quan of this showdown in Southern California.

The last regular season showdown of two top 10 teams in the nation didn't disappoint.

It just didn't go exactly as planned.

Fourth-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and its high-powered offense led by highly-touted sophomore quarterback J.T. Daniels sputtered, managing just 129 passing and 226 total yards. When the Monarchs were clicking they shot themselves in the foot with 13 penalties for 147 yards.

But they made up for it with no turnovers, a stingy defense and superb special teams to pull out a wild 26-21 Trinity League win over No. 7 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) Friday at Cerritos College.

A 1-yard touchdown plunge from Shakobe Harper with 7:01 remaining proved the difference for the Monarchs (8-0, 2-0), who ended a six-game losing steak to the Braves (6-2, 2-1). Bosco also had its impressive 23-game Trinity League win streak snapped.

"I'm ecstatic," Daniels told a FOX television audience after the game. He finished just 19 of 29 for 129 yards and one touchdown, about what his first-quarter numbers have reflected all season. "Our defensive and offensive line and running backs and special teams carried us tonight.

"They were massive."

Down 14-6 at halftime, Mater Dei closed to 14-12 on a beautiful 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by five-star junior receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Monarchs went for a two-point conversion, but the pass was knocked away with 9:03 left in the third.

As it did all night, Bosco came right back, this time with its second 80-yard scoring drive, capped by Demetrious Flowers' second touchdown run, a 15-yarder that made it 21-12 with 5:51 left in the third.

The Braves, who finished with more first downs (20-13), rushing yards (257-97) and total yards (378-226), looked in control.

But the Monarchs closed to 21-19 early in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard TD toss from Daniels to St. Brown's brother, Osiris St. Brown, who made a spectacular leap into the end zone.

It was the only touchdown pass of the game for sophomore Daniels, who came in with 40 scoring tosses and just two interceptions.

After an interception by Jalen Cole, the Monarchs drove 43 yards, almost all on the ground, capped by a 1-yard TD plunge from Harper with 7:01 left. Harper did most of the damage on the drive and he gave Mater Dei its first lead since early in the first quarter.  

Bosco had two more possessions but didn't get inside Mater Dei's 40.

"(Bosco) is a great team but we just played with heart," said Harper.

It looked like a shootout early as both teams took their opening drives for scores. But penalties helped keep the Monarchs out of the end zone.

A 38-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Amon-Ra St. Brown was wiped out by a holding penalty and eventually MD had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Chase McGrath to make it 3-0. St. John Bosco answered with an 11-play, 80-yard drive, all on the ground, finished off with a 1-yard TD keeper from Re-al Mitchell, giving St. John Bosco a 7-3 lead.

Another long drive was slowed by penalties and again McGrath delivered with a 38-yard field goal, making it 7-6 with 15 seconds left in the first quarter. Once again, Bosco answered, as this time Flowers bounced off a couple of tacklers to score on a 10-yard touchdown, giving Bosco a 14-6 lead with 3:31 left in the half.

Daniels, who entered the game with an 81-percent completion rate, was just 11 of 19 for 83 yards at halftime and he was sacked twice, once each by Jacob Callier and Kyle Murray. Bosco held a 221-113 edge in yards after the first half but managed just a one-score lead.

These two squads could easily face each other again in the Southern Section Pac-5 Division tournament. Harper didn't want to think about that after the game. He just savored the win, Mater Dei's first over Bosco since 2010.

"Coach just told us at halftime to stay motivated, to keep going that we're going to get it," Harper said. "That's what we did and we came out with the win."